A book that inspired me was Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand. It wonderfully blends the lifestory of a Olympian turned bombardier. There are three primary themes in this book: resilience, survival and service. At the peak of his athletic career in 1940, Zamperini was forced to put his Olympic dreams on hold, as the 1940 Summer Olympics were cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II. Instead, he enlisted in the US Army Air Force in 1941. The willingness to put his own interests aside in a time of need is truly inspiring, and should serve as an example for current and future generations about the importance of supporting your country. As a new enlistee, Zamperini was assigned to the No. 372 Squadron of the 307th Bomb Group, Seventh Air Force. …show more content…
As the war ended, Zamperini returned home to his family and friends, but lost his chance at ever competing in the Olympics, given his physical state. Zamperini was able to use his competitive edge as an athlete an apply this towards his will to live, which is clearly attributed to his survival at the end of the war. His mental toughness, and complete determination to not let the war dictate his life and actions is admirable, and can surely serve as a lesson in our own lives. Personally, I felt that traits including Zamperini’s resilience and survival can be attributed to my own life. On a much smaller scale, I have learned to use my resilience skills to bounce back from adversity, such as dealing with a family illness. The onset of an unexpected illness my family brought upon a tough time in my family, and I was unsure of how to act, what to say, and what to tell others. After reading Unbroken, I felt that if Zamperini could survive years of torture, I could survive a seemingly small family emergency. The ability to relate Zamperini’s own story of resilience in a horrible situation inspired me to do the same in my own